New London school board won't extend superintendent's contract beyond 2014

New London — The Board of Education voted 6-1 Thursday not to extend the superintendent's contract, which is slated to expire at the end of the 2013-14 school year.

The contract states that Superintendent of Schools Nicholas A. Fischer's position will end June 30, 2014. The board voted to not to extend his contract to 2015.

School board Chairman William Morse voted in favor of extending the contract. Fischer is approaching his third year as superintendent.

"This board vote says that I have been doing my job well. It is a badge of honor," Fischer said. "It is a recognition that some people are uncomfortable with our asking them to have high expectations, to improve their performance and to increase expectations of adults and students."

He thanked the staff and mentioned a handful of accomplishments his office has achieved during his tenure, including improving student achievement, passing requirements for academic eligibility, passing the state's first literacy standard for graduation and establishing the state's first supper program for students.

Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio arrived at the school board meeting in time for the vote on the contract, and he said he supported the board's action.

"I feel that in a time of transition that the education department is going through, that this is an appropriate time to make a full assessment of the New London education department," Finizio said.

The board's vote does not constitute a termination of Fischer's contract for cause and it is possible that the board of education next year will revisit its vote.